New school urgently needed for Scoil Mhuire students and staff in Carrick-on-Shannon

Scoil Mhuire currently has 515 pupils enrolled in the school which is situated on two extremely cramped campuses in the town on the Dublin Road and in Summerhill. Enrolment continues to rise as the county town continues to grow and the educational needs increase.
The active Parents' Association and teachers in the school have created a petition asking people to sign to get the Minister for Education Norma Foley TD to build a new school.
“It is years overdue as the current buildings are not fit for purpose, dangerously overcrowded and are situated on two campuses. All of the wonderful teachers and brilliant students deserve better conditions,” the Parents' Association says.
On behalf of the teachers in the school, Michelle Lowe says, “We have started this petition to ask the Department of Education to finally give the go ahead for a new school in Carrick-on-Shannon to accommodate our growing, multi-cultural school population.
“We have waited over 10 years and in that time our numbers have continued to increase despite predictions to the contrary.
“We are currently housed on two different campuses, both of which are no longer fit for purpose. The Department of Education acknowledged this in a recent report; undersized classrooms, major defects, lack of recreational space to name but a few of the problems cited.
“Scoil Mhuire is a truly inclusive environment where children of different nationalities, creeds and abilities work and play and in a world that seems more and more fractious it is important that our schools promote and encourage this inclusivity.
“We, as a school body, pride ourselves on how we have adapted, despite poor working conditions and in so doing have created a vibrant and harmonious educational environment for all. However, we now need the Department to provide a decent, modern facility so we can continue to meet the needs of all.
“We need as many people as possible to sign the petition to make it clear to the Department of Education where we stand,” Michelle says, asking people to please sign the petition on the Scoil Mhuire Carrick-on-Shannon Parents’ Association Facebook page.
The need for a new school was also raised in the Carrick-on-Shannon Municipal District meeting on Monday.
Noting that work is starting on the Carrick Area Development Plan for 2024-2029 Cllr Finola Armstrong-McGuire asked that the Council executive “prioritise the task of establishing a site suitable for the relocation of Scoil Mhuire” as part of this process.
Addressing Monday's meeting, Cllr Armstrong-McGuire said that the existing school does not “meet the needs of the students, the teachers or families.
“We do anticipate population growth and we want to welcome families as part of this and for them to be assured of good educational facilities and that we will attend to this need,” she said.
Cllr Armstrong-McGuire said the school has “substantially changed” over the last 20 years from one where there were empty rooms to “where there is no longer any space”.
“The priority now has to be the Council telling the Department that there needs to be a new school provided in Carrick-on-Shannon,” she insisted”.
“Families and teachers want reassurance that in the new plan for Carrick-on-Shannon (the Council) is open to identifying a site for a new school.”
Her motion received unanimous support with all councillors stressing the need to provide a new school “as soon as possible”.
Senior Planner at Leitrim County Council, Bernard Greene, acknowledged population growth is expected in Carrick-on-Shannon and noted that the Council is only starting the process of creating the new Carrick plan.
“The challenge is that the Department of Education officials don't see a need for a new school site in Carrick-on-Shannon,” he admitted.
He noted that a written submission from the Department of Education to the draft County Development Plan 2023-2029 stated that the Department felt any additional demands from population increases at primary level in Carrick-on-Shannon “can be met at the existing facilities” in the town.
The Department of Education has indicated that it will “engage with the development” of the new Carrick area plan but Mr Greene stressed “Leitrim County Council is not an education provider. All we can do is identify a site (for a new school) if the Department (of Education) decides there is a need.
“We will work with the community on this,” he said, noting that the school authority and community has been “very active in their campaign” and noting this is important in ensuring the Department “accept the need we all recognise is there”.
Head of Finance, Vincent Dwyer added that the Local Authority will “be as helpful as we can” with the push for a new school but said it is “up to the school authority and community to engage with the Department” highlighting the need for a new school.
Cllr Armstrong-McGuire said she was disappointed by the comments from the Department, asking officials to “come here and see” the situation at Scoil Mhuire.
“We are going to keep this on the table as much as we can. We need this new school,” she said.